Dereas Ward
"It hurts to accept failure, but it will hurt more later to deny it." Dereas Ward is a major character in Our Worldly Woes. He is one of the first survivors met during the initial outbreak, and will accompany the character to the first survivor hub - a kind of safehouse - in the early game. He is involved in many other main quests, side quests, and lesser missions later in the game. Biography/History Early Life Dereas (pronounced Duh-REE-uhs) Benjamin Ward is a former firefighter who worked for many years in the Merringsdale fire station combating dangerous fires and evacuating people trapped in burning houses. He retired early from his job as a firefighter when he got struck by a flaming wooden beam when breaching a collapsing house to rescue people trapped in a fire. He was heavily injured and was not allowed to continue his work as a firefighter anymore due to chronic pain and other health complications. Outbreak In the outbreak, however, he once again shows his selfless side by rescuing as many survivors as he can, despite his doctor's orders to avoid strenuous activity and physically-demanding tasks. Personality and Traits Dereas used to be an emergency responder, a job that required a very selfless person who is willing to risk their life to save others, so naturally he is a very kind-hearted and compassionate person. During the events of the outbreak, he demonstrates such an attitude by helping as many survivors as he can, including The Player Character. Though Dereas is a very good-natured character, he's often very overzealous and wants to save everybody he encounters. He also appears extremely reckless with his own personal safety and will engage in combat, often when the odds are stacked against him. Another notable character traits of Dereas is his tendency to He is also very optimistic by nature and will rarely be seen in low-spirits, one example of which is back in the safe house where he dwells on seeing the family at the florist devoured in front of him, with him unable to help. It takes a very disturbing event to bother Dereas. Appearance Dereas first appears wearing a dirty, gray long-sleeved shirt, work jeans, and work boots. This is his default outfit that he will wear most throughout the game and when in survivor hubs and safe houses. When he is not, he will wear armor if he has any and the armor most suited to his style. Although Dereas is a former firefighter, he was not in his turnout gear when the pathogen broke out, and doesn't have it with him when he meets the player character. A later quest involves him getting it with or without the assistance of the player character, however he will always make it back safely. This quest can be prevented from happening entirely if the character visits the Merringsdale fire station and manages to find Dereas' gear and return it to him, to which he will be very grateful. Skills and Abilities Melee Combat Dereas, being a naturally strong and physically fit person, is a very capable melee fighter and can hold his own against multiple zombies without being overwhelmed. As his body is naturally conditioned as a firefighter, he can handle heavy weaponry very well, in particular melee weapons like the crow-bar, fire-axe, pry-bar, and many other large two-handed implements. Special Skills Dereas is a powerhouse when it comes to tasks needing strength such as breaking down doors and lifting heavy objects. He can also carry a fair bit of weight on his back which makes him a good candidate for scavenging runs. His physical attributes and history of being a firefighter also explain his ability to handle heavy armor easily, such as Riot Armor, Hockey Goalie Armor, and of course Firefighter Turnout Gear. Because of his preference of heavy melee weapons and Heavy armor, Dereas makes a great tank character - able to withstand a great deal of damage and dish it out in return. However, Dereas is far from invincible - he can still die if he takes too much damage or is overrun by enemies. If this happens, it is recommended to load the game before he died to avoid the unnecessary death of a major character, which will change the storyline significantly. He is brave to the point of near recklessness, as he must be heavily outnumbered and overwhelmed for him to retreat from a fight. Stealth Dereas isn't learned in the arts of stealth however he is not stupid and won't intentionally create noises and draw undesired attention to the him and the character's position. Ranged Combat He fights best in close quarters combat, but still has basic knowledge of firearms and how to operate them. He will always prefer using melee weapons against zombies but will occasionally use guns and other ranged weapons, especially if there are armed human enemies present. = Interactions In the very first quest - part of the tutorial, in fact - Dereas is introduced to the player character. In one of the early quests, Dereas is directly involved in the tutorial in which he teaches the player how to break down a door, showing the player that they can either kick it down or "run it down with a shoulder" if in danger of zombies. Notable Quotes * "It's a wooden door. Don't got a key for that wooden door? We don't have the time to lock-pick it. Notice the hinges aren't facing towards us. Let me show you how we were taught to do it back at the station." * "I think a mule kick's more effective but when time is of the essence, you want to break this thing down as fast as possible. I guess you can always run it down with a shoulder if they're hot on your tail but I'd imagine you might get a dislocation, THEN where would you be?" Trivia * Dereas is incorrectly pronounced "DEH-ree-uhs", which is said in the manner of pronouncing the name "Darius". Dereas is actually and correctly pronounced "Duh-REE-uhs", or "Duh-REES". which more emphasis on the middle vowel rather than the first one. * Dereas's name was created on accident when misspelling the word "decrease" and was later adapted into a character name. * Sometimes, when physically straining himself, one can hear a very subtle grunt or comment of pain from Dereas. This may be due to the fact that Dereas is suffering from chronic pain because he is not following his doctor's orders.